She-Hulk: Battle of the Self

She-Hulk continues to struggle with the trauma she experienced during the events of Civil War II, but the villains of the Marvel Universe don’t plan on waiting for her to adjust. The Leader has picked up on Jen’s current state—and believes it might be the perfect time to strike.

Jennifer Walters needs to come to terms with her new Hulk form if she wants to stand a chance against the Leader’s latest wicked plan. Will she be able to stop fighting herself long enough to confront her old foe?

We spoke with Mariko and Jahnoy to find out.

Marvel.com: She-Hulk has been through a lot since Civil War II, but this threat from The Leader could be the biggest one yet. What has brought him out of the woodwork?

Mariko Tamaki: The Leader has always been lurking, waiting for an opportune moment. And Jen finds herself in a place where she’s a little vulnerable—an ideal time for him to strike.

Marvel.com: As she continues to grapple with her new Hulk form, does Jen even feel like she’s able to face someone like The Leader?

Jahnoy Lindsay: Definitely—Jen still has a lot to work out within herself, but she’s still She-Hulk. She’s ready to take on anyone!

Mariko Tamaki: Jen would never back away from a threat. That’s just not her jam. Even if she’s not sure how she will manage something, it’s really not in her DNA to walk away. So yes, she’s in a place where she doesn’t completely understand her new Hulk form, but she’s always going to step up.

Marvel.com: She-Hulk’s solo series has dealt a lot with Jen’s PTSD following the events of Civil War II—and we’ve explored this focus before. Will that theme continue through Marvel Legacy and into this new arc?

Mariko Tamaki: There are a lot of layers to trauma—so as a theme, and as an experience, it has a lot of twists. For Jen, this feels like a new twist because the previous battles she’s faced, since Civil War II, have been with people she once tried to help. And that couldn’t be further from her situation with The Leader. The Leader wants to end her, and she’s going to have to fight him from a very liminal and complex space. She’s dealing with trauma…but it’s also super villain time.

Marvel.com: Jahnoy, you’re working on this book for the first time. How has everything been so far?

Jahnoy Lindsay: A lot of fun! I’m just really excited and appreciative of the opportunity to contribute to such an important part of this characters story

Marvel.com: And you two are teaming up for the first time—what has your collaboration been like?

Jahnoy Lindsay: Working together has been pretty cool. I think there’s still a lot for me to learn about making comics, so I’m glad to be able to work alongside such an experienced writer like Mariko.

Mariko Tamaki: I am loving what I’ve seen so far.

Marvel.com: What about this new story are you most excited for readers to see?

Mariko Tamaki: The Leader has been a cool character to write for sure. I mean, he has a giant brain, you know? That’s intriguing.

Jahnoy Lindsay: It may be a bit selfish, but there’s a new character we’ve introduced who I just love drawing and learning about, so I’m looking forward to seeing how that person will be received.

Check out SHE-HULK #159, by Mariko Tamaki and Jahnoy Lindsay, on November 8!